Web feeding apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l R. S. CLARK 1M ATTORNEY3 A 1 HQEHQ 1 H n 1 WEB FEEDINGAPPARATUS Filed March 12., 1930 Sept. 4, 1934.

Sept. 4, 1934. R. s. CLARK WEB FEEDING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ffaafi 5. (Var/r BY ti An us Patented Sept. 4,1934 WEB FEEDING APPARATUS Ralph S. Clark, Kalamazoo, Mieh., assignor toKalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Company,

, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application March 12, 1930, Serial No. 435,142

2 Claims. (01. 242-76) In the accompanying drawings, I have illustratedmy improvements as I have embodied the same in wrappers. for cartons andmachine for feeding and cutting such wrappers from a web.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an apparatus for feeding a web of paper to a wrappingmachine or the like, severing into wrappers which severs the sheets atthe desired point relative to the series of designs and presents thesame in proper relation to a wrapping mechanism.

Second, to provide a means for feeding paper in which the paper isautomatically adjusted laterally.

Third, to provide an apparatus of the class described in which the paperfeed means is automatically controlled by the web of paper to be severedinto sheets.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is made to my application No. 435,143, filed on the same dateas the present case for matter relating to the cutter which is shown butnot claimed in the present case.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an apparatus embodying the featuresof my invention, portions of a wrapping machine being shown by dottedlines.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation with the parts shown in conventionalform showing the relation of the paper roll to the feed rollers, cutterand the photoelectric cell controls.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing details of the lateral paperadjustment.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of parts shown in Fig. 3 lookingfrom the right of that figure.

Fig. 5 isan enlarged fragmentary view of the feed driving mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 represents a carton wrapping machine,only such parts of this being shown as are deemed necessary toillustrate the delivery of the paper or wrappers, one of the wrappers 2being shown in its initial 50 wrapping position, a second wrapper 2being shown as it is delivered from the cutter 3 to the wrappingposition.

The web of paper 4 is in the form of a roll 5 and is delivered therefromover the guide rollers 6 and 7 to the feed rollers 8 and 9, these feedrollers delivering to the cutter 3 and its coacting roller 10.

The driving means for the feed means and I the cutter means are notillustrated further than to point out that the feed rollers are driven 0through a clutch designated generally by the numeral 11 which iscontrolled by a cam 12 on the shaft 13 of the cutter 3. The clutch isfurther controlled by a solenoid actuated release mechanism designatedgenerally by the numeral 14, the clutch being engaged by the cam 12 andreleased by the solenoid 14.

The solenoid 14 has an armature 35 which is connected to the keeper 36,the latter being pivoted to a support at 37. The lower arm of the keeperis provided with a recess which is adapted to receive the dog 38, whenit is swung on the link 39 about the latters stationary pivot 40, thedog being pivoted to the link at 41 and to the collar 42 at 43. Thecollar 42 is fixed to the slide rod 44 and constitutes a stop for theouter end of compression spring 45, which embraces the rod 44 and bearsat its inner end against the wall 55, through which slidably extends therod 44. upturned and engages the lever 46 of the rockshaft 57. The camfollower 47 is carried by the other end of the lever 46 for coactionwith the cam 12, so that the cam 12 operates the mechanism to cause thedog 41 to latch with the recess 37 in the keeper 36 once in everyrevolution, although once latched the cam 12 merely rotates, the camfollower 47 being held clear of the cam. Depending from the lever 46 isan arm 48 which is connected to the groove 49 in thedriving clutchmember 50, the latter being The inner end of the slide rod 44 is sofixed to the drive shaft 51 to which drive roll 9 is journaled togetherwith the driven clutch member 52.

When a spot passes the photo-cell 19, the latter causes the solenoid 14to be energized, elevating the keeper 36 and tripping the dog 38,whereupon the spring 45 urges the slide rod 44 to swing the lever 46,the latter returning the cam follower 47 into position adjacent the cam12 and retracting the arm 48 and the clutch member 50, which opens theclutch 11. The driving rolls 8 and 9 are stopped by the opening of theclutch 11; resulting in stopping the web feed while the cutting rolls 3and 10 sever a wrapper from the web. The momentum of the feed carriesthe spot on the web from between the photo-cell 15 and the lamp 19,thereby causing the solenoid to be de-energized, but the cam 12 actuatesthe cam follower 47, which causes the dog 38 to be relatched by thekeeper 36. This ill cycle of operation is repeated every time a mark ontheweb is interposed between the photo-cell and its lamp.

This mechanism 14 is controlled through the photo-electric cell 15 whichis operatively associated with the web of paper and electricallyconnected to the amplifying and relay unit designated generally by thenumeral 16, this being shown in conventional form, this unit being inturn electrically connected to the mechanism 14.

The web of paper is provided with a'longitudinal series of designsindicated conventionally at 17, the designs being appropriate for awrapper for a package, that is, there are four panels, one for each sideof the package.

The web also has a series of spots 18 printed thereon in definitelyassociated relation to the designs, these being placed in a spacebetween the designs and the edges of the web of paper so that as the webof paper is fed along, the spots are successively brought intoactivating relation to the photo-electric cell or element 15.

A lamp 19 is arranged so that the paper passes between the element 15and the lamp 19.

As the web is advanced by the feed rolls, the spots passing the element15 activate the same so that this impulse is transmitted to theamplifying or relay unit 16 which is in turn connected to the solenoidactuated clutch control mechanism 14, thereby controlling the releasingof the clutch and consequently the delivery of the paper to the cuttersin proper relation so that it is severed at the right point and thesheets are delivered in proper relation to the wrapping mechanism.

I also preferably provide means for laterally adjusting the paperinsuring proper lateral registration in its delivery and to accomplishthis, the paper roll supporting shaft 20 is mounted for axialadjustment, it being provided with a grooved collar 21 engaged by thefork 22 on the screw 23.

The screw 23 has a pair of ratchet units designated generally by thenumeral 24, these units being independently actuated by the solenoids25, the armatures 26 of which are connected to the ratchet units bymeans of the links 27see Figs. 3 and 4. It will be understood that theactuation of one solenoid will rotate the screw 23 in one direction, theactuation of the other solenoid actuating it in the opposite direction.

These solenoids or electro magnets are controlled from thephoto-electric cell 28 which is disposed so that as the web of paper isadvanced, the spots 29 are successively brought into register therewith,there being a double series of these spots located in a uniformly spacedrelation to the edges of the web. These elements 28 have lamps 30associated therewith and they are connected to the amplifying and relayunits 31 which are in turn connected to the solenoids 25. When one ofthese elements 28 is activated by a spot 29 its associated amplifyingand relay unit is amplified and it in turn energizes the solenoid 25associated therewith.

I have not described the electrical connections as these areconventionally shown but it is believed that they are quite sufiicientfor the purpose of disclosing a practical embodiment of my improvements.

With this arrangement of parts, the web of paper is not only adjustedlaterally so that the sheets are properly delivered to the wrappingmechanism but the sheets are also cut off at the right point so thatwhen the wrapper is folded upon a carton the panels or designs occupythe correct position thereon.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment whichI have found highly satisfactory. I have not attempted to illustrate ordescribe various modifications and adaptations to other uses; forinstance, a machine designed merely for the cutting of a web of paperinto sheets as it is believed that this disclosure will enable thoseskilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an apparatus for feeding a web having spaced spots disposedlongitudinally adjacent each edge thereof and subject to lateraldeviation from a desired normalcy, the combination of a source ofradiant energy associated with each edge of the web and disposed belowthe same, a photo-electric cell associated with each edge of the web anddisposed above the same, each cell and its light source being offset tothe outer side of its spots so as not to be de-energized so long as theweb remains in the desired normalcy, and means automatically operable byeach cell during the shading thereof by its spots from its source ofradiant energy for causing a corrective deviation of the web andconsequent discontinuance of such shading.

2. In a web feeding apparatus, the combination with a traveling websubject to lateral deviation from a desired normalcy, of a source oflight at each edge of the web and on one side thereof, a light-sensitivecontrol device at each edge of the web on the side opposite said lightsources, the web having a double series of spots located in uniformlyspaced relation to the edges of the web and disposed so as not to affectsaid light-sensitive control devices so long as the web does not deviatefrom the desired normalcy, and means automatically operable by saiddevices during the shading thereof by said spots for causing acorrective deviation of the web and consequent discontinuance of suchshading.

RALPH S. CLARK.

